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United Arab Emirates Population 2018

9,590,711

The United Arab Emirates (also called Emirates or just UAE) is an Arab country in the southeast region of the Arabian Peninsula. The UAE is a federation of 7 emirates, each governed by a hereditary emir who together form the Federal Supreme Council. The estimated 2018 population of the UAE is 9.54 million, up from 2014's estimate of 9.44 million.

The population of the UAE noted for 2016 is 9,157,000 according to UN estimates. Other estimates are as low as 5.7 million but do not take into consideration the high population of immigrants, which are estimated to make up 90% of the population. The estimate is now up to 9,400,145 as of mid-year 2017 from the UN, and the World Factbook still gives a lower estimate of just over 6 million - also from 2017.

Population Density and Surface Area of the UAE

The United Arab Emirates occupies an area of 83,600 square kilometers all together. The land is nestled between Oman and Saudi Arabia in terms of land and has 1,318 kilometers of coastline on the Persian Gulf. With an estimated population of 9.54 million in 2018, the current population density is at 114 individuals per square kilometer. Additionally, the three largest emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah - are home to nearly 85% of the population.

Major Cities in the United Arab Emirates

The capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi. Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are considered two of the country's cultural and commercial centers.

Dubai is the largest city with a population of 2.4 million. Interestingly, Dubai is often misperceived as a country or a city-state. Sometimes, all of the UAE is described simply as "Dubai", which shows just how influential and well-known the city has become.

Demographics of the United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates has a very diverse population, of which only 10% are UAE nationals and the remainder is made up of expatriates. The UAE has the 7th highest net migration rate in the world at 12.36, as any expatriate is allowed under law to apply for UAE citizenship after living in the country for twenty years, assuming they have not been convicted of a crime and can speak Arabic. The UAE also has the highest gender imbalance in the world with a male/female ratio of 2.2, or 2.75 for the 15-65 age group.

The largest group of non-UAE nationals are South Asian (58%), followed by other Asians (17%) and Western expatriates (8.5%). There is an increasing presence of Europeans, particularly in cities like Dubai. As of 2015, the official estimates stand at Emirati make up approximately 11.6%, South Asian 59.4% (includes Indian 38.2%, Bangladeshi 9.5%, Pakistani 9.4%, other 2.3%), Egyptian 10.2%, Philippine 6.1%, and other backgrounds at 12.8%.

The official language of the UAE is Arabic, and the population also uses Persian, English, Hindi, and Urdu.

The official religion among the United Arab Emirates is Muslim, coming in at 76% of the population, a 9% Christian following, approximately 10% Hindu or Buddhist faiths, and less than 5% other religions.

The median age of the UAE is approximately 30.3 years of age, with a total life expectancy of 77.7 years upon birth. 93.8% of the population aged over 15 is literate.

How Many People Live in United Arab Emirates?

Timezones in United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates Population Growth

The UAE's population has experienced sharp decline over the last decade, but this has reversed. Its urban population is predicted to grow to 9.9 million by 2020, at which point city dwellers will account for 85% of the region's population.

Data Sources

Total population: Estimated to be consistent with the 1968, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1995 and 2005 censuses, with official population estimates for 2010, and with estimates of the subsequent trends in fertility, mortality and international migration. The population estimates include temporary/seasonal workers.